1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording material separating/removing device equipped with a cassette in which image recording materials, in which an image recording surface is provided on a support, and interleaf sheets, which are thin-film-like and protect the image recording surfaces of the image recording materials, are accommodated in an alternately stacked manner. The image recording material separating/removing device discards the interleaf sheets accommodated in the cassette, and feeds the image recording materials to a subsequent process.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique (printing plate exposure device) has come to be developed which, by using an image recording material (printing plate) in which an image recording surface (photosensitive layer) is provided on a support, records an image directly by a laser beam or the like onto an emulsion surface which serves as the photosensitive layer of the printing plate. With such a technique, it is possible to quickly record an image onto a printing plate.
In an automatic printing plate exposure device using a technique of recording an image onto a printing plate, the printing plates are removed one-by-one (separated/removed) from a cassette in which a plurality of the printing plates are stacked, and are fed to an exposure section.
The printing plates are classified into plural types in accordance with their sizes, photosensitizing methods, materials, and the like. Generally, printing plates of the same classified type are accommodated into a cassette. A plurality of cassettes containing the plural types of printing plates are stacked one above the other, i.e., in plural levels.
Conventionally, a single mechanism (a lift-out mechanism section) for removing the printing plates from the cassettes is provided. Thus, the cassettes are moved vertically or horizontally with respect to the surface on which the automatic printing plate exposure device is set, such that a space is provided at substantially the entire region above the cassette which accommodates the printing plate which is to be removed.
In this way, a printing plate can be removed from a target cassette without being interfered with by the other cassettes.
However, in order to withdraw the cassettes, a space for withdrawing the cassettes must be provided in advance, and size of the entire device increases.
In order to overcome this drawback, spaces, into which the lift-out mechanism section can enter, are provided in advance between the plural stacked cassettes. In this way, the space in the horizontal direction can be made smaller. However, the locus of movement of the pick-up mechanism becomes complex. Further, it has been thought to provide plural lift-out mechanism sections, but in this case, the structure of the device becomes complex, which is not preferable.